In our U7 and U8 leagues, there should be no "sweeper-keepers" that stay in front of their goals most of the game. This is not healthy for player development and is not consistent with the spirit of small sided soccer which is intended to have all players around the action and involved in the game.

This does not mean that you cannot have a player focused on defense; however, the player who is in the defensive role must be in the same 2/3 of the field as the ball in play. For example, if the ball is on the opposing team's half of the field, the defender should be closer to the midline than to their own goal.

Our young referees cannot be expected to manage this so we are asking you, the coaches, to ensure that players are being positioned properly on the field. If an issue develops in the first half, you should calmly discuss it at halftime with the other coach. If you see coaches not following this guideline, please report it to the BASC Head Coach and a board member will attend that coach's future game.

Let's work together to improve the quality of our games and ensure development of all players.